The present invention relates to novel and improved deposit and collection receptacles, such as mailboxes, and more specifically to security mailboxes having a first, upper compartment of a type approved by the United States Postal Service for receiving mail in the typical fashion, and a second, selectively useable, lower compartment to which only authorized persons have access.
Various types of mailboxes and other such depositories have been in use for many years. Typically, mailboxes are seen mounted along roadways or in or upon a wall or door of a home for delivery and pickup of mail. Conventional mailboxes are designed for easy access to the interior. Unfortunately, these conventional mailboxes are also easily accessible to unauthorized persons. Therefore, such conventional mailboxes leave one's mail susceptible to theft, vandalism, and lack of privacy.
A second problem with conventional mailboxes is that when one is away from home for several days or weeks, mail which is delivered daily tends to accumulate inside. This accumulation of mail not only jams up the mailbox, but is also a signal to burglars and/or vandals that no one is home, thus leaving a person's mail and mailbox susceptible to theft and/or vandalism. One solution to this problem is to stop mail delivery for the period of absence or to have a neighbor pick up your mail. However, this is not always possible or practical.
In such circumstances it would be desirable to have a mailbox with a locked storage compartment in which the mail may accumulate out of reach and sight of prospective burglars and vandals during periods of absence. Additionally, it would be desirable to be able to receive and send mail in the conventional manner when at home. Furthermore, it would be desirable to allow only authorized persons the option of converting the mailbox between the two aforementioned positions.
The desirability of mail security in receptacles convertible between conventional and secured reception has been previously recognized, and a number of designs have been proposed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,999 of Fitzgerald et al discloses a mailbox having an upper compartment accessible through an unsecured door at the front. A forward portion of the upper compartment floor is hingedly attached to a fixed, rear portion to permit movement of the forward portion to a raised position, in which it is releasably secured by catch means within the upper compartment. When the forward portion of the upper compartment floor is in the raised position, mail drops through the opening thus provided to a lower compartment, accessible through a normally locked door. Among the disadvantages of this security mailbox are the protrusions within the upper compartment formed by the catch means, and the easy accessibility of the catch means, i.e., unauthorized persons may easily move the upper compartment floor from the raised to the lowered position, thus defeating the purpose of the security provisions.
A second design of security mailbox is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,551 of Baylor. The upper compartment of this mailbox also includes a hinged portion of the floor with releasable catch means in the upper compartment. Thus, the design of this patent suffers from the same disadvantages as that of U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,999.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,626 a security mailbox includes a pivotally and laterally movable shelf which partially separates upper and lower portions of the receptacle, respectively accessible through non-secured and lockable doors. This design requires actuation of the movable shelf by the mail delivery person, an unacceptable constraint by current standards.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved security mailbox, which may be selectively converted between conventional and security mail receiving conditions.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a convertible security mailbox which only authorized persons may convert from a security to a conventional mail receiving mode.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a convertible mailbox having an upper compartment with a floor selectively movable to a lowered position for deposit of mail in a secured, lower compartment with no obstructing internal structures.
Other objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.